Supply control system for domestic gas drying apparatus



M. A- MENK 3,370,838

SUPPLY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC GAS DRYING APPARATUS Feb. 27, 1968 Filed June 20, 1966 INVENTOR. MELVIN A. I'IENK 0 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,370,833 SUPPLY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR DOMESTIC GAS DRYING APPARATUS Melvin A. Menk, Englewood, Ohio, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed June 20, 1966, Ser. No. 558,782 8 Claims. (Cl. 26333) This invention relates to domestic clothes dryers and more particularly to a control system for supplying gas to a domestic dryer having a gas burner therein.

In many gas clothes dryers of the domestic type, the dryer includes a burner element that has an air-gas mixture supplied thereto through a system that includes a manual shut-oft valve as required by the American Gas Association codes. In such systems, there is a pilot light assembly that will ignite the air and gas mixture as it enters the burner housing of the gas dryer. In the past, to provide access to the pilot light, it has been the practice in certain cases, such as the patent to Matter, 2,931,- 687, issued Apr. 5, 1960, to include a hinged lift up top on the domestic dryer that is positioned into a raised location so as to provide access to both the manual shutoff valve and the pilot light as desired. Such arrangements require latches, hinges, slides and rails that add to the cost of the dryer. Moreover, they enable an untrained user of the appliance to have easy access to the controlling components of the gas supply and as a result misdirected adjustment of the gas supply can cause many problems in the operation of the dryer such as uneconomical fuel consumption, pilot light extinguishing problems, and the like.

The problem of maintaining a pilot light ignited has been solved in many gas dryers by the provision of an automatic electric ignition system that is operative during the beginning of a drying cycle of operation to ignite an air-gas fuel mixture to the burner. With such arrangements, the need for ready accessibility to ignite the gas supply for the domestic clothes dryer is eliminated.

Acordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a domestic gas clothes dryer having a gas supply system that is enclosed by an outer casing of the drying apparatus and accessible only by disconnecting a top that is positively fastened to side walls of the outer casing and wherein the gas supply system includes a manually operable shutoff valve and an automatic electric ignition system that ignites an air-gas mixture from the supply system in a burner of the dryer and wherein the manually operable shutoff valve means is positionable in a fully opened or fully closed position by means including an actuator arm that is actuatable remotely from the shutoff valve at a point exteriorly of the outer casing of the dryer.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a domestic gas clothes dryer apparatus having an outer casing with a plurality of side walls closed at one end thereof by a top closure member that is fixedly secured to the side walls and wherein one of the side members has a recessed door well therein including an opening to provide access to the interior of the dryer, and including a door that is pivotally supported on the casing for movement into opened and closed positions with respect to the door well and wherein the dryer further includes a gas supply system located within the interior of the outer casing rearwardly of the front wall thereof that includes a manually operable shutoff valve and an automatic ignition system for igniting an air-gas mixture from the supply system as it enters a burner housing of the unit and wherein the manually operable gas shutoff valve is associated with a remote operating system including an 3,370,838 7 Patented Feb. 27, 1968 "ice actuating handle located within the recessed door well and positionable with respect thereto to maintain the door slightly ajar until the shutoff valve is either completely opened or closed, whereby a door switch that is included in circuit means for conditioning the ignition system for operation is maintained inoperative when the shutoff valve is positioned between its fully opened and closed positions.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred embodiment of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view in perspective of a domestic gas clothes dryer including the gas supply and ignition system of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view partially broken away of a portion of the front of the dryer of FIGURE 1 looking in the direction of arrow 3 in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a schematic wiring diagram of a suitable control system for the gas supply of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, a domestic clothes dryer 10 is illustrated including an outer casing 12 having side walls 14, 16, a front wall 18, and a rear wall 20. The plurality of walls of the outer casing 12 are closed at their upper end by a solid top member 22 that is fixedly secured to the outer casing 12 by suitable fastening means such as the spring clip element 24 shown in FIGURES 2 and 3 as being directed through flanges on the top 22 and the upper edge of the front wall 18 in interlocking engagement therewith to securely hold the top member 22 in place on the outer casing 12.

In the illustrated arrangement, the front wall 18 has a recessed door well 26 formed therein with a forwardly facing planar surface portion 28 thereon with an opening 30 therethrough to provide access interiorly of the casing 12. On the wall 18 is supported a door closure member 32 that is pivotal about a vertical axis into an open position as shown in FIGURE 1 and movable about the same axis into a closed position where a rear surface 34 on the door is located in close spaced relationship with the forwardly facing planar surface 28 of the door well 26.

Additionally, the door 32 includes a latch strike element 35 that is positioned when the door is closed in a latch assembly 36 to engage a plunger 38 of an electrical door switch 40 as seen in FIGURES 1 and 4.

In accordance with certain principles of the present invention immediately rea-rwardly of the front wall 18 at the top thereof is located a gas supply system 42 for directing an air-gas mixture to a burner housing 44 located interiorly of the outer casing 12 at one side thereof as partially shown in FIGURE 2. More particularly, the gas supply system 42 includes a gas inlet line 46 that is connected to a manually operable gas shutoff valve 48 that is required by the American Gas Association codes. The shutoff valve 48 .in turn is connected by a coupling 50 to the inlet 'of a combination regulator valve and supply valve assembly 52 which has an outlet therefrom connected through a gas tube 54 to the inlet to an air-gas mixing chamber 56 of the main burner 44 which discharges the mixture to a burner tip 58 located within a burner housing 6 Additionally, the fuel supply meansineludes an automatic ignition assembly 62 having spaced apart contacts 64, 66, located in close proximity to the burner tip 58 for igniting the air-gas mixture at that 3 point at the beginning of a predetermined drying cycle of operation. Additionally, the unit includes a flame sensor and control assembly 65 to control the energization of the regulator valve assembly 52 so as to prevent the inlet of gas into the main burner 44 in cases Where the ignition assembly 62 fails to fire the air-gas mixture being directed from the tip 58 of the burner 44.

The provision of such an automatic electric ignition system in an automatic gas dryer eliminates the problem of maintaining a pilot light for igniting the burner and as a result the gas supply system can be enclosed by the outer casing 12 and the top 22 to be relatively inaccessible to the user of the appliance whereby the user is less prone to attempt to adjust the gas supply system. As a result, the gas supply system once properly adjusted for given operational conditions is more likely to operate economically and without problems that might otherwise arise by misdirected adjustment of the system.

' In order to meet American Gas Association codes that require an accessible manually operable shutofl? valve in the gas supply system, in accordance with certain principles of the present invention, the manual gas shutoff valve 48 has an operating arm 66 on the end of a rotatable valving element therein which is connected to one end of an elongated link 68 that is best seen in FIGURE 2 as disposed substantially parallel to the front wall 18. The opposite end of the link 68 is connected to a throw portion 70 of a crank arm 72 which has anupper end portion 74 thereon secured by a lock nut 76 to a tab portion 78 on a fixed support bracket 80 that is secured to the upper flange of the front wall 18 rearwardly thereof. In the illustrated arrangement, the bracket 80 has a rearwardly directed arm 82 thereon for supporting the gas inlet line 46. Additionally, in the illustrated arrangement, about the upper end portion 74 of crank arm 72 is disposed a coil spring 84 that maintains the crank arm 72 against slack movement with respect to the bracket 80 whereby the crank arm 72 is movable about a well defined vertical axis.

In the illustrated.arrangement, the crank arm 72 has a depending end 86 that is directed through the front wall 18 at the recessed door well therein and includes an the manually operable shutoff valve 48 is totally closed. In this position, the distal portion 88, which has a flat configuration, is disposed in close spaced parallelism with the planar surface portion 28 of the door well 26 whereby it will not interfere with the door 32 when it is moved into a closed position.

Additionally, when the distal end 88 is positioned at a location 180 offset of that shown in solid lines in FIG- URE 3, the crank arm 72 moves the link 68 to cause the valve 48 to be totally opened. Also in this position, the distal portion 88 is located in close spaced parallelism with the planar surface 28 so as not to interfere with door closing. 7

By virtue of this arrangement, the distal end 88 between the valve opened and valve closed positions thereof is directed outwardly and forwardly of the planar surface 28 as best seen in FIGURE 2 whereby it serves as a stop against door closing movement. Thus, as will be explained, the distal portion 88 of the operating crank 72 serves as a means to prevent fuel supply' ignition in the burner 44 unless the valve 48 is completely opened.

In the schematic wiring diagram of FIGURE 4, an electrical control system for the main burner 44 is shown which includes a circuit from wire L through the door switch 40 which can only be closed when the distal portion 88 of the operating crank 'arm 72 is positioned in spaced parallelism with the surface 28, thence through a dryer start switch 90 and a relay coil 92 to wire N. When the distal portion 88 is properly positioned, so that the door 32 can be closed, the relay 92 is energized to close a relay controlled switch 94 to complete an energization circuit for the flame sensor assembly 65 which in turn controls energization of the electrical igniter assembly 62 through a circuit including conductor 96, 98. Additionally, the control for the fuel supply includes the combination gas supply and regulator valve assembly 52 that has solenoids therein energized through the flame sensor and control assembly 65 by a plurality of conductors 100, 102, 104 connected to one side thereof and a conductor 108 connected to wire N. While the wiring diagram is a schematic showing of a rudimentary electrically energizable control system for a fuel supply system of the type illustrated, it is believed that it clearly illustrates the function of the distal portion 88 of the operating crank arm 72 in maintaining the circuit de-energized if positioned away from the off or on positions as seen in FIGURES 2 and 3. As pointed out above, in the intermediate positions, the door cannot close and as a result, the door switch 49 is maintained opened whereby the igniter assembly 62 and other components of the electrical control for the gas supply are maintained inoperative.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

' What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a domestic gas drying apparatus the combination of an outer casing having a front wall with a recessed door well therein, said recessed door well including a for-' wardly facing planar surface having an opening therein for access to the interior of said outer casing, a door, means for supporting said door on said outer casing for movement into said recessed door well for blocking the opening therein, 'a gas burner located within said outer casing, fuel supply means located rearwardly of said front wall and interiorly of said outer casing for directing an airgas mixture to said burner, said fuel supply means including manually operable shutoff valve means, means for auj tomatically igniting said burner including coacting means on said door and the planar surface of said door well,

tor arm serves to maintain said door in a position to disable said coactingme'ans unless said manually operable shutoff valve means is in its fully opened or closed positions.

2. In the combination of claim 1, said-coacting means on said door and said door well including a door switch operable to condition said automatic burner ignition means for operation only when said door is closed, said actuator arm including a flat distal portion located ina spaced parallel relationship with said forwardly facing planar surface of said door well when said manually operable valve is either fully opened or fully closed.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said remote control means actuator member including a crank portion located surface on said door well between said fully opened and fully closed of said valve means whereby said distal portion serves to maintain said door slightly ajar to prevent said coacting means on said door and said planar surface from conditioning said means for automatically igniting said burner.

4. In the combination of claim 3, said actuator member having an opposite end, means including fixed support means for pivotally supporting said opposite end of said crank arm, spring means interconnected between said fixed support means and said crank portion for positively locating said opposite end with respect to said fixed support means.

5. In the combination of claim 4, said manually operable shutoff valve means having an operating arm secured thereto, and means for linking said crank portion to said operating arm including a link located substantially parallel to the front wall of said outer casing and re'arwardly thereof and operable during valve actuating movement of said crank portion to be maintained in its substantial parallel relationship with said front wall.

6. In a gas drying apparatus the combination of an outer casing having a front wall and an open top, a closure member on said outer casing directed across the open top thereof, means for fixedly securing said top closure member to said outer casing, said front wall of said casing including a recessed door well having a forwardly facing planar surface thereon with an opening therein for access to the interior of said outer casing, a door for closing s'aid access Opening, means for supporting said door on said outer casing for movement into and out of said recessed door well, a gas burner located within said outer casing, fuel supply means located rearwardly of said front wall and within said outer casing for directing an air-gas mixture to said burner, said fuel supply means including a manually operable shutoff valve means, means for automatically igniting said burner including circuit means and switch means supported on said recessed door well and engageable with said door when it is in a closed position to condition said circuit means for operating said means for automatically igniting said burner, remote control means for fully opening and closing said manually actuatable shutoff valve means, said remote control means including an actuator arm directed from interiorly of said casing to a point exteriorly thereof, said actuator arm having a distal portion serving 'as a handle for pivoting said actuator arm so as to position said valve means in its open and closed positions without requiring that said top closure member be removed from said outer casing.

7. In the combination of claim 6, said remote control means including an operating arm on said valve means, an elongated link located substantially in spaced parallelism with said front wall in close spaced relationship rearwardly thereof having one end thereof connected to said operating arm, a crank secured to the opposite end of said elongated link, means including fixed support means for fastening one end of said crank for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, said crank having an opposite end connected to said actuator arm.

8. In the combination of claim 6, said distal portion being positioned against said planar surface portion when said manually operable shutolf valve means is fully opened or fully closed, said distal portion extending forwardly of said planar surface on said door well between said fully opened and fully closed shutoff valve means whereby said distal portion serves to maintain said door slightly ajar to prevent said switch means on said door from conditioning said circuit means for operation of said means for automatically igniting said burner.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,930,663 10/1933 Rogers 12642 2,867,430 1/ 1959 Hullar 263-33 2,931,687 4/ 1960 Mitter 312-323 3,282,324 11/1966 Romanelli 158128 XR FREDERICK L. MATIESON, JR., Primary Examiner.

A. D. HERRMANN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DOMESTIC GAS DRYING APPARATUS THE COMBINATION OF AN OUTER CASING HAVING A FRONT WALL WITH A RECESSED DOOR WELL THEREIN, SAID RECESSED DOOR WELL INCLUDING A FORWARDLY FACING PLANAR SURFACE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN FOR ACCESS TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID OUTER CASING, A DOOR, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID DOOR ON SAID OUTER CASING FOR MOVEMENT INTO SAID RECESSED DOOR WELL FOR BLOCKING THE OPENING THEREIN, A GAS BURNER LOCATED WITHIN SAID OUTER CASING, FUEL SUPPLY MEANS LOCATED REARWARDLY OF SAID FRONT WALL AND INTERIORLY OF SAID OUTER CASING FOR DIRECTING AN AIRGAS MIXTURE TO SAID BURNER, SAID FUEL SUPPLY MEANS INCLUDING MANUALLY OPERABLE SHUTOFF VALVE MEANS, MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY IGNITING SAID BURNER INCLUDING COACTING MEANS ON SAID DOOR AND THE PLANAR SURFACE OF SAID DOOR WELL, SAID OUTER CASING INCLUDING MEANS ENCLOSING SAID FUEL SUPPLY MEANS FOR EXTERIORLY OF SAID OUTER CASING, REMOTE CONTROL MEANS FOR OPERATING SAID MANUAL SHUTOFF VALVE MEANS INCLUDING AN ACTUATOR ARM DIRECTED THROUGH SAID FRONT WALL, SAID ACTUATOR ARM BEING POSITIONABLE TO FULLY CLOSE OR FULLY OPEN SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE VALVE, SAID REMOTE CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR POSITIONING SAID ACTUATOR ARM BETWEEN ITS VALVE OPENING AND CLOSING POSITIONS SO AS TO EXTEND FORWARDLY OF SAID FORWARDLY FACING PLANAR SURFACE ON SAID DOOR WELL WHEREBY SAID ACTUATOR ARM SERVES TO MAINTAIN SAID DOOR IN A POSITION TO DISABLE SAID COACTING MEANS UNLESS SAID MANUALLY OPERABLE SHUTOFF VALVE MEANS IS IN ITS FULLY OPENED OR CLOSED POSITIONS. 